KUALA LUMPUR: The real estate industry needs to prioritise ecological preservation over conventional land clearing practices in future development in line with Malaysia’s sustainable urbanisation agenda.
Minister of Housing and Local Government, Nga Kor Ming, said the approach is increasingly important as urban centres in Malaysia continue to grow rapidly, thus requiring a balance between economic growth, environmental preservation and long-term liveability.
“As our cities continue to grow, the challenge is no longer just to provide more housing, but to create inclusive, safe and comfortable community spaces, while balancing economic growth, environmental preservation and long-term liveability.
“We not only want to build a livable city, but also a sustainable and friendly city, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs),” he said when launching the Botanik Point Nature Reserve, here, on Tuesday.
Nga said the MADANI Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has placed sustainability at the core of the national development agenda through the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) which has introduced various initiatives including the National Circular Economy Council, the Malaysian Smart City Framework and the waste-to-energy (WtE) project.
He said the ministry was also integrating green technology, including the installation of solar panels, in public housing projects to ensure that the sustainable urbanisation agenda remained inclusive and benefited all Malaysians.
“Malaysia is among 27 countries recognised by the UN as mega biodiversity countries. This treasure needs to be preserved and the government is planting 115 million trees as part of efforts to protect the environment,” he said .
Nga, who is also the President of the UN-Habitat Assembly, said Malaysia will continue to play an active role in championing sustainable urban development at the global level through collaboration and knowledge sharing with cities around the world.
Regarding the launch of Botanik Point Nature Reserve today, he said the project demonstrates how collaboration between various stakeholders can be translated into development that supports the sustainability and resilience agenda of cities.
He said the project was also in line with Malaysia’s urban sustainability and resilience agenda and contributed to the UN SDG goals, particularly SDG 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 13 on Climate Action and SDG 15 on Livelihoods on Land.
Nga also praised Urban Hallmark Properties Sdn Bhd for pioneering a development philosophy that prioritises preservation over land clearing, with almost 30 per cent of the development area being maintained as secondary forest ecosystems.
“Sustainability should not be considered as a side issue or merely an additional feature.
“On the contrary, it needs to be incorporated into the DNA of the development planning itself,” he said while expressing the hope that Botanik Point will inspire other industry players to practice development principles that are more responsive to the environment.
— BERNAMA
